I never said that human prayer causes the Lord to be present in the Supper, nor did I indicate that anyone should pray to that end.
That's right. You didn't say that. But Satan does. He is ever willing and eager to appeal to man's vanity and pride, "You are so powerful. You are able to summon Christ to your assembly through your prayers." So what starts out as innocent prayers of thanksgiving to God for His great mercy and grace ends up as the horrible Abomination of the Mass.
speratus said: So what starts out as innocent prayers of thanksgiving to God for His great mercy and grace ends up as the horrible Abomination of the Mass.
So your conclusion is that allowing people the opportunity to pray to God before partaking of the Supper will lead to the abomination of the Mass. I suppose it is futile to argue with this sort of "logic."
Don't underestimate the depravity of man. It is a matter of historical record that the prayer of thanksgiving of the early church evolved in stages to man's work of invocation and eventually to the blasphemous Sacrifice of the Mass.
On a personal note, my pastor began saying a prayer of thanksgiving before the words of institution a few years ago. Recently, he added distribution hymns that give glory to man (i.e., "I love to tell the story").
I cannot receive the body and blood of Christ when such hymns are sung. The sacrament is not for those who glory in their own works but for Christians who are weak in the faith, are terrified because of their many sins, and consider themselves unworthy of the inestimable treasure of Christ's body and blood.
Last edited by speratus; Mon Jan 24, 200511:50 AM.
